170 million American users, including small businesses and non-profit organizations, would be impacted by January 19 deadline
Washington (January 14, 2025) - Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) today announced the introduction of the Extend the TikTok Deadline Act, legislation that would delay the January 19 deadline by which ByteDance must sell TikTok or face a ban, by an additional 270 days. On January 13, Senator Markey delivered remarks on the U.S. Senate floor and live on TikTok regarding the consequences if TikTok is banned in the United States.
“The TikTok ban was rushed through without sufficient consideration of the profound consequences it would have on the 170 million Americans who use the platform,” said Senator Markey. “Today, TikTok is a space where users share critical resources during emergencies such as the Los Angeles wildfires, earn money to cover groceries and medical care, and build community in challenging times. The Extend the TikTok Deadline Act is a straightforward, one-sentence bill designed to give Congress the time needed to fully assess the implications of this ban. I urge my colleagues to act swiftly on this legislation.”
“The rushed divestment of Tiktok is a huge giveaway to Donald Trump and his cronies, who are poised to scoop up a massive social media company and turn it into another partisan mouthpiece. I don't take a backseat to anyone when it comes to protecting American's personal data from China -- I've written three of the strongest bills on offer to protect sensitive U.S. data. Extending the deadline to sell TikTok will allow Congress to consider better ways to mitigate threats from China, courts to review the law, and additional bidders to make proposals to acquire TikTok with more time for public scrutiny,” said Senator Wyden.
“Tens of millions of Americans use TikTok for entertainment, business, and social networking, including myself,” said Senator Booker. “Americans should not be shut off from freely expressing themselves on the platforms they choose. I do believe that ByteDance should divest from TikTok, but it should be given sufficient time to carry out a sale. That’s why I’m partnering with Senators Markey and Wyden on this legislation that would extend the deadline.”
“A ban on TikTok violates the free speech of 170 million Americans and hurts the livelihoods of creators and small business owners who use the app,” said Representative Khanna. “We need laws to protect Americans’ data, but banning TikTok is not the answer. I’m proud to join Senator Markey in introducing this legislation to pause the TikTok ban for 270 days.”
Senators Markey and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), along with Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17), recently submitted a bipartisan, bicameral amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the D.C. Circuit Court's decision in TikTok Inc. v. Garland, which upheld the TikTok ban established under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. In the brief, Senators Markey and Paul and Representative Khanna argued that the TikTok ban lacks evidence and directly conflicts with the First Amendment, undermining the rights of over 170 million Americans who use the platform. On December 19, Senators Markey and Paul sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to provide TikTok owner ByteDance with a 90-day extension to either sell TikTok or face the ban.
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